Events

In our calendar, you can find all the events organised or sponsored by the EU-Japan Centre, as well as other events related to EU-Japan relations.

02/03/2011 - Tokyo, Japan

How to add value to food products and how to protect brand names abroad – Lessons learnt from the EU system of Geographical Indications (seminar)

FOODEX SEMINAR ON REGIONAL BRANDS

On Wednesday, 2 March 2011, the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation organised, with the support of the Delegation of the European Union to Japan, a seminar on “How to Add Value to Food Products and How to Protect Brand Names Abroad : Lessons Learnt from the EU System of Geographical Indications".

The European Union has adopted a Geographical Indications (GIs) system that offers food and beverage producers the opportunity to add value to their products and to protect brand names abroad. In this seminar, four European speakers offered a presentation about their own experience under the GIs scheme:

• Mr. Francis Fay, Deputy Head of Unit Agricultural Products Quality Policy, Directorate-General for Agriculture, European Commission
• Mr. Simone Ficarelli, Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano, Italy
• Ms. Joanna Dopierała-Konkołowicz, Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Poland to Japan
• Mr. Arpad Nagygyőr, Export Director, Pick Szeged, Hungary

In the EU, the GI scheme has produced several positive impacts: it better connects consumers and farmers by offering detailed information about a product and its quality, as in the past years quality is becoming an increasing factor of choice for European consumers. GIs also prevent abuses and give a strong Intellectual Property protection to registered names, in particular against misuses. It finally consolidates the link between the geographical place, the product name and its added value, contributing to rural development and Agricultural Policy. According to the two private companies present at this seminar, GIs are an excellent promotion tool for the product and give producers the opportunity to play a fair game with their competitors. GI registration often translates into a sales increase.

Although the application and registration processes are very long and require a strong national organisation and control, benefits are very positive for consumers as well as for producers. This system remains open to non EU producers (a Chinese and a Colombian registration have been accepted) and Japanese applications are welcome in the future.

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Programme:
14:00 - 14:05	Opening remark, Mr.Gijs Berends, First Secretary, Trade Section, Delegation of the European Union to Japan
14:05 - 14:40	"EU's system of Geographical Indications" Speaker: Mr. Francis Fay, Deputy Head of Unit Agricultural Products Quality Policy, Directorate-General for Agriculture, European Commission
14:40 - 15:00	"The Benefits of Geographical Indications for Parmigiano Reggiano" Speaker: Mr. Simone Ficarelli, Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano, Italy
15:00 - 15:20	"The Polish experience of Geographical Indications" Speaker: Ms. Joanna Dopierała-Konkołowicz, Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Poland to Japan
15:20 - 15:40	"Using Geographical Indications for Hungarian Salami" Speaker: Mr. Arpad Nagygyőr, Export Director, Pick Szeged, Hungary
15:40 - 16:00	Q & A
16:00	Closing Remark, Mr.Hiroshi Tsukamoto, General Manager, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation

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